


Ink

by NerdyChick321



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Kylo is smitten, Kylux - Freeform, M/M, he would let Hux tattoo whatever he wanted on him, this is just some random nonsense, wouldn't even care what it was
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-09
Updated: 2016-08-09
Packaged: 2018-08-07 16:16:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7721500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NerdyChick321/pseuds/NerdyChick321
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kylo finds himself smitten by a tattoo artist and, at a loss for how else to hang around him, just keeps coming back for more tattoos.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ink

**Author's Note:**

> Saw this text post on Tumblr (can't find the original post):
> 
> "You run a tattoo parlor. Every couple of weeks, the same customer comes in, always requesting the same tattoo: an additional tally mark on an ever-growing cluster of tally marks. 'What are you counting?' 'How many tattoos I’ve gotten.' 'I’m no longer serving you.'" 
> 
> And someone had added "imagine your OTP" and then someone ELSE added "Kylo and Hux though" and the rest is history. I couldn't resist. This is just a little, short, fun something. Enjoy!

Kylo stopped walking for the fifth time to scrutinize his reflection in a store window. He scowled at his hair for becoming wildly unruly yet again. It had so far resisted multiple attempts to arrange it into a precise dishevelment and now Kylo was beyond frustrated with it. Grumbling indistinctly under his breath, Kylo gathered up his long, faintly curly black hair into a bun, securing it roughly with an elastic band from his wrist. That would have to do. He shoved his hands in his pockets and kept walking. By the time he was standing outside the hole-in-the-wall tattoo parlor, his heart was pounding in his chest. He drew in a steadying breath. It did little to calm his nerves. A small chime signaled his arrival as he stepped inside. 

“Welcome to First Order, what can I do for you?” The man behind the counter didn’t even look up from the page of tattoos he was designing. He sounded bored. 

“Just the usual.” Kylo tried his best to sound nonchalant despite his breath catching in his throat  at the mere sight of him. _Get it together, Kylo._ _He’s just a man._ Oh, but he wasn’t. He was tall, slim yet exuding a graceful strength, piercing green eyes Kylo could get absolutely lost in, hair the most delightful shade of golden orange, that dusting of freckles across his nose; he was not just a man he was the most perfect man Kylo had ever seen in his life and _oh gods he just said something didn’t he. Just pretend you didn’t hear him, that’s normal, right? But how could you not have you’re staring right at him!_

“What?” Kylo cleared his throat, more audibly than he would have liked. 

“I said,” Hux looked up from his drawing, thinly veiled irritation on his perfect face. “What’s the usual?” Kylo’s heart skipped a beat when their eyes met. Recognition dawned on Hux’s face before it settled back into slightly aloof disdain. “Oh, it’s you. Never mind, I know what you want.”  _ Do you though? _ Kylo wanted to ask but he just smiled nervously instead. 

“That looks cool.” Kylo pointed to the half-drawn tattoo, hoping to strike up a conversation this time. 

“Hmm.” Hux barely acknowledged the comment, pushing his chair back from the counter and getting to his feet. “Alright, let’s get this over with.” Kylo followed Hux to the back room, trying really hard not to stare at Hux’s ass. Well, not that hard. It was a great ass, after all. It might even be wrong  _ not _ to stare at such a great ass. Kylo jerked his gaze back up as Hux turned around. Hux narrowed his eyes at him. Maybe not fast enough then. He tried to look innocent.

“Take a seat.” Hux nodded towards the plush chair and started gathering supplies. Kylo grabbed the hem of his tshirt and pulled it off over his head before sitting down, leaning back in the chair. 

“I’m tattooing your arm, you didn’t have to take off your shirt.” Hux looked slightly bewildered. Kylo just shrugged, tucking his right hand behind his head to expose the inner side of his bicep where the line of neat little tally marks rested. The newest one had barely healed up yet. He was feeling rather smug, knowing exactly how he looked with his shirt off. And if he was subtly flexing rippling muscles, well that was neither here nor there. Hux remained stubbornly unflustered but Kylo didn’t let that dissuade him. He was nothing if not determined. After all, he’d gotten seven tattoos here already just to see Hux. 

“Whatever.” Hux perched on a stool, pouring rubbing alcohol on a wad of cotton. Kylo held his breath in anticipation of the lightning that came with Hux’s touch. It was like fire on his skin where Hux’s fingers touched, but the burn was oh so sweet. Kylo shivered. 

“So what are you counting anyway?” Hux asked.

“Huh?” There was a waver in Kylo’s voice and he hated himself for it but Hux’s hand was casually resting on his shoulder now and it was proving  _ highly _ distracting. 

“The tallies...what are you counting with them?” Hux nodded pointedly towards the row of black lines.

“Oh…” Kylo’s mind raced for an answer. Fuck. He’d made up some reason for this, in case Hux ever asked but he was blanking. If Hux would quit staring into his very soul with those damned beautiful eyes maybe he could  _ think. _ Or breathe. Not both, Hux was still too close for that. He smelled amazing. Like a forest of pine trees. Right after a thunderstorm. Had he always smelled that way or was this new?  _ Focus, Kylo. _

“I’m counting...the number of tattoos I’ve gotten.” Kylo blurted out in his panic, immediately regretting it.  _ Fuck fuck fuck that’s dumb that doesn’t even make sense. _ Kylo froze, awaiting Hux’s reaction. It seemed an eternity in the coming. Hux had stopped, poised over Kylo’s arm, tattoo machine centimeters from flesh. 

“What?!” Hux demanded, looking up slowly. Incredulity and disbelief were slowly replaced with outright anger. He set the tattoo machine down and ripped the gloves off his hands. “Get out. I’m not serving you anymore.” 

“Wait! I can explain!” Kylo pleaded, sitting upright. 

“Ok. Explain.” Hux glared at him, arms crossed over his chest. 

“Uh…”  _ Shit. _ Kylo didn’t really have an explanation. 

“Thought so.” Hux dragged him to his feet and started forcibly maneuvering him towards the exit. Kylo could definitely have overpowered him if he wanted to but that seemed counterproductive. Instead he allowed himself to be slowly ejected from the building. 

“I refuse to have my time wasted by  _ idiots _ .” Hux ranted the whole time he shoved Kylo around. Mind coming up empty for excuses, Kylo just silently let it happen, happy to be yelled at and pushed around as long as it was Hux. “And don’t come back!” Hux had finally gotten Kylo out the door. He tossed Kylo’s tshirt out after him, slamming the door in his face. 

Well. This was an interesting predicament. Several passersby were staring, shocked and curious expressions at the shirtless man who had just been kicked out of the tattoo parlor. Kylo glared them all down, pulling his shirt on over his head and retreating to the coffee shop across the street with an air of defeat to lick his wounds and plot his next move. Hux couldn’t get rid of him that easily. 

 

A few hours later and Kylo’s patience was rewarded. He had just finished slowly sipping his fourth cup of coffee when the neon ‘open’ sign under the shop’s name flickered to darkness. Kylo pulled a few bills from his wallet to tuck under the empty mug, hurrying across the street to arrive in front of the tattoo shop just as Hux was locking up. 

“Hey.” Kylo said. Hux started, clearly not expecting someone to be right behind him. He glared when he recognized Kylo.

“I will mace you.” Hux announced flatly. “Are you stalking me? You’re doing a terrible job.”

“Come get a drink with me.” Kylo couldn’t believe the words were leaving his mouth. His heart beat in his ears as he anxiously awaited Hux’s response.

“Why?”

“Because I like you.” 

Hux blinked. This seemed to have thrown him off. 

“I don’t even know your name.” Hux was looking at him suspiciously. But he hadn’t said no. 

“Kylo Ren.”

“That’s a stupid name.” 

“You can insult me all you want, let’s just do it over drinks.” Kylo said stubbornly. “So can I buy you a drink or what?” Hux scrutinized him with an unforgiving stare for a long pause before replying.

“Fine.  _ One _ drink. I pick the bar. And you’re not allowed to get anymore stupid tattoos.”

“Deal.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Come hang with me on Tumblr: time-to-boldly-go. Thanks for reading! =)


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